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“King’s orders,” Sillian grunted as his grip on me tightened. “She defied his command.”
The guard’s eyes widened. He fumbled with his keys to open the door. “Ock, the prince’ll kill all of us for this.”
“That’s what I was saying,” Earlish replied, his voice cracking.
“He can’t,” Sillian growled. “The king commanded it. We’re just following orders.”
I smirked. While I knew they were simply doing as they’d been told, as they’d been trained to do, I couldn’t help the thrill that ran through me.
An answering stroke came on the mate bond, and I knew Norivun had felt my moment of glee. I closed my eyes and pushed my love toward him, guilt filling methat he’d only felt my terror in the throne room, but I wouldn’t let that continue.
I will not be afraid. I will not subject my mate to my fear. I can handle whatever’s to come.
The Mother knew this wouldn’t be the first time I’d faced cruelty in my life.
I pushed another stream of love toward Norivun and was careful to hide my apprehension at what lay ahead. At least I could still feel my mate. Even Tylen’s nulling magic didn’t have the power to suppress our mate bond born of the gods.
A dark spiral of Norivun’s fury coasted back to me. Jagged edges of wrath and rage twisted from him. I had no idea what the king had done to him, but my mate was furious.
I took another breath, forcing myself to remain calm. I didn’t know how long I would be kept down here, but I would survive it.
When the door finally creaked open, both guards made the sign of the Blessed Mother when Sillian and Earlish dragged me past.
Ahead, a long, dim corridor sprawled before me. Cells lined each wall with iron bars. Inside the cells, chains hung from the walls with shackles at their ends. The door closed with a solid bang behind us, then I was alone with the guards in the dank dungeon.
For a moment, my resilience faltered. I gazed at what lay around me. Most of the cells were empty, but a few we passed held males, and one female from thelooks of it. All were dirty and haggard-looking. Blood drained from my face when the guards propelled me forward.
Surely, I won’t be here long enough to start looking like that.
I closed my eyes and felt again for my affinities. A faint stirring answered in my belly but nothing yet between my shoulder blades.Crap. They were still too weak to use.
Reality crashed into me when I realized that even if I could access my magic, I couldn’t defy the king. Not yet. Even knowing what I knew, King Novakin still ruled this land. Despite the king being the one who should be locked within these cells, until the king was removed from power, overtly defying him would land me on the executioner’s block. So I would have to endure his ruling...for now.
Earlish nodded toward the end of the corridor. “Her archon’s at the end. He said to put her next to him.”
Sillian grunted, and the two propelled me forward.
One of the prisoners stood at his bars and leered when I passed, then made a licking motion with his tongue. His teeth were rotten, his putrid breath detectable even from the distance.
“Aren’t you a pretty thing.” His gaze raked over my wingless back and dark hair. “Wings shaved, eh? Or are you Nolus?” He eyed my hair again. “What’s your name, female?” He began to stroke himself, blatantly growing aroused for everyone to see.
I baredmy teeth.
Earlish replied, “She’s the Death Master’s mate. I’d think twice before doing anything like that.”
The prisoner’s eyes rounded, and he whipped his hand out of his pants. I stared him down, lip curling, not once flinching, and he shifted back from his cell bars.
Despite my bravado, rivers of ice flowed down my spine. Without my magic, all I had was Sandus’s training to protect myself if one of these males broke into my prison chamber.
When we reached the end of the hall, Earlish and Sillian stopped at the last cell. Hay lined the floor of the small enclosure, and the windowless stone held bits of frost.
With a twist of his key, Sillian opened the door and pushed me inside. I flew forward, landing on all fours. I seethed over my shoulder at him.
The youngest one’s throat bobbed. Once my door was locked, they both stepped back.
“We only did this ’cause the king commanded it.” Earlish made the sign of the Blessed Mother. “Please tell the prince that.”
Sillian jabbed him in the side. “He won’t kill us. If he does, he’ll answer to the king. Get moving, boy.”
